Aladdin (1992 Golden Films film)
A 1992 straight-to-video animated adaptation of the classic tale.
Rob Young from United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Aladdin is a 1992 animated fantasy film produced by American Film Investment Corporation (later Golden Films). It was the first of a series of six weekly straight-to-video releases of animated adaptations, distributed by Trimark on April 27, 1992. The film is based on the classic Arabian Nights story translated by Antoine Galland and features a single original song, 'Rub the Lamp,' written and composed by Richard Hurwitz and John Arrias, with the rest of its soundtrack completed by a selection of classical music.
- Release date
- April 27, 1992
- Production company
- American Film Investment Corporation (later Golden Films)
- Distributor
- Trimark (original); GoodTimes Entertainment (1993 re-release)
- Format
- Straight-to-video
- Original song
- "Rub the Lamp" by Richard Hurwitz and John Arrias
- Based on
- The Arabian Nights story Aladdin, translated by Antoine Galland
Lore & Background
The story follows a poor boy named Aladdin who lives with his mother. A shifty man named Hassim pretends to be Aladdin's long-lost uncle and tricks him into entering a cave to retrieve an old lamp. After Aladdin refuses to hand over the lamp, Hassim traps him inside, but Aladdin accidentally rubs the lamp and releases a genie who grants wishes. Aladdin wishes to return home and keeps the lamp hidden. Four years later, Aladdin falls in love with the Sultan's daughter Layla and, with the genie's help, wins her hand in marriage and builds a palace. Hassim later tricks Layla into swapping the lamp, transports the palace and princess to Marrakesh, but Aladdin retrieves the lamp and returns them home. Hassim disguises himself as the medicine woman Fatima and tries to trick Aladdin into making a wish the genie cannot grant, but Aladdin exposes him and defeats him, though Hassim is not killed in a duel.
Reader's Guide
The 1992 Golden Films Aladdin is notable as the first in a series of seven weekly straight-to-video animated adaptations released by Trimark. It was later acquired and re-released by GoodTimes Entertainment in 1993 and reissued on DVD in 2002 as part of the 'Collectible Classics' line. The film is also remembered for a lawsuit brought by The Walt Disney Company, which claimed that GoodTimes' packaging imitated Disney's promotional style for its own Aladdin film. The federal court dismissed the suit, ruling that Aladdin is a public domain work and that the packaging—featuring an enormous, mustachioed gold or orange genie—was sufficiently distinct from Disney's blue genie. The film's single original song, 'Rub the Lamp,' was written and composed by Richard Hurwitz and John Arrias.
Did You Know?
- It was released straight to video on April 27, 1992, as the first of six weekly releases of animated adaptations.
- The film was reissued on DVD in 2002 as part of GoodTimes Entertainment's 'Collectible Classics' line.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aladdin (1992 Golden Films film)?
It is a 1992 straight-to-video animated retelling of the Arabian Nights tale, produced by American Film Investment Corporation (later rebranded as Golden Films) and put into stores by Trimark on April 27, 1992. The picture opened a six-week run of weekly animated adaptations released directly to video.
What role does the genie play in Aladdin (1992 Golden Films film)?
The lamp-bound spirit functions as the wish-granting servant central to the Galland-translated Arabian Nights plot, answering the calls of whoever rubs the lamp. The film's one original track, 'Rub the Lamp,' is built around that exact lamp-rubbing trigger.
How does the genie's arc conclude in Aladdin (1992 Golden Films film)?
Staying true to the source material's structure, the genie carries out the final wishes that tip the balance against the villain, after which the lamp's cycle is complete. The resolution is delivered within the brief straight-to-video runtime rather than expanded into a separate epilogue.
Why do genie-film fans mention Aladdin (1992 Golden Films film)?
As the lead title of a six-part weekly video series, it is one of the earliest low-budget, direct-to-consumer takes on the genie story, predating the big-studio versions most audiences know. Its soundtrack leans almost entirely on classical recordings with a single original song, making it a curiosity among genre entries.
Who wrote the music tied to the genie in Aladdin (1992 Golden Films film)?
Richard Hurwitz and John Arrias composed and wrote the film's sole original number, 'Rub the Lamp.' Every other musical cue was pulled from existing classical works, a choice that sets this version apart from later, fully scored genie films.
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